‘Deadpool 2’ Just Lost Composer Junkie XL

And another one bites the dust. Following the surprising departure of director Tim Miller last week, the Deadpool sequel has lost another creative component, as composer Junkie XL has exited the project. In a personal statement on his Facebook page, the composer says he decided to leave the sequel as a show of solidarity for Miller, who clashed with star Ryan Reynolds over the creative direction of Deadpool 2.

Junkie XL, whose real name is Tom Holkenborg, shared his reason for leaving the sequel in a new post over on Facebook:

The composer’s post is kind of a bummer, but rather fitting in light of the unfortunate situation at hand. Tim Miller and Ryan Reynolds devoted a lot of time and energy to selling their Deadpool concept to Fox, but without Miller’s creative direction, that “leaked” test footage never would have been such a hit with fans — enough to convince Fox to give the film a green light.

Reports of Miller’s exit cited creative differences with Reynolds, who wanted a more expensive and polished follow-up to the conservatively-budgeted Deadpool. Miller, meanwhile, is said to have felt that they could make a great sequel on a budget similar to the first film — and one that would stay true to its scrappy underdog nature. A few directors are reportedly in the mix to replace Miller, including Drew Goddard, who made his directorial debut with The Cabin in the Woods and recently scripted The Martian for Ridley Scott.

There’s still hope for the Merc With a Mouth: Original writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick remain on board for the sequel, but if those guys leave, we should probably start worrying about Deadpool 2.